# Using Document-Level Comments

Unlike annotations, comments allow you to provide feedback on a document that is not related to a specific portion of the document. Any user with permission to view a document can read associated comments and replies. Users with the **Annotate** permission, which also controls adding annotations, can comment, reply, and edit or delete their own comments.

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      <p><strong>Note</strong>: Document-level comments can be turned on or off for each Vault by an Admin. If you would like to use this feature, contact your Vault administrator.</p>
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## Viewing Comments {#viewing}

Comments appear below the inline viewer, with the oldest comments at the top. Replies appear under the related comment. Note that comments are tied to a specific document version, so you can only see comments made on the version you're viewing. To view comments from a previous version, open that version from **Version History**.

## Comments Activity Indicator Tab

The Comments Activity Indicator tab quickly identifies whether comments exist on a document. This tab appears at the bottom of the document viewer in the Doc Info page and shows the number of comments that exist for the document. Click on it to jump to the **Comments** area.

## How to Create Comments {#create}

To comment:

  1. Type in the text area below the document. Comments do not support special formatting, do not render URLs as hypertext, and cannot contain images.
  2. Click **Comment**.

To reply to a comment:

  1. Click **Reply** above the comment text. Note that you can only reply to the original comment, not to another reply.
  2. Type in the indented text area that appears below the original comment.
  3. Click **Comment**.

## How to Edit and Delete Comments {#edit}

To edit your own comment or reply:

  1. Click **Edit**.
  2. Make changes in the text area and click **Comment**.

To delete your own comment or reply:

  1. Click **Delete**. When deleting a comment with replies, you also delete the replies, even if they are other users' comments.
  2. Click **Continue** in the confirmation dialog. If you change your mind, click **Cancel** to exit the dialog without deleting.

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      <p><strong>Note</strong>: Generally, you can edit and delete your own comments. If you cannot, your permissions have changed since you first commented. This can happen if you change roles or if the document changes status.</p>
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## Limitations {#limitations}

Document-level comments are not available on binders, content placeholders, or archived documents.

## Helpful Hints {#hints}

  * **Permissions**: The ability to comment or reply to comments is tied to the Annotate permission, which also controls the ability to add and edit annotations. If you do not have this permission and believe that you should, contact your administrator.
  * **Versioning**: Comments are tied to a specific document version, so Vault hides existing comments when users create a new version. View previous version comments by opening the old version from **Version History**.
  * **Audit Trail**: Vault does not log comment activity in the audit trail.
  * **Annotations**: Comments are distinct from inline annotations. Key differences are:
      * Comments are tied to the document generally, rather than a specific location.
      * **Download PDF with Annotations** only downloads annotations, not comments.
      * Comments are not visible in the inline viewer's Full Screen mode.